Legislature
Party Primaries: Reps move to override Buhari for withhold of assent to Amended Electoral Bill 2022
The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, resolved to file notice to override President Muhammadu Buhari for withhold of assent to Clause 58(8) of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which provides for statutory delegates.
The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon Ben Igbakpa (PDP-Delta) who noted that there was no need for the House to fear anyone.
According to him, “Mr Speaker, you have shown leadership and capacity and patriotism. On the 11th of May with your colleagues you brought all of us back from our various constituencies so that we can work on the electoral act as amended, graciously that was done on the 11th of May, 2022.
“And by the 12th of same monththis amendment was transmitted to Mr President.
“Mr President did not just ignore, he travelled out of the country on a condolence visit to Dubai and that created a lot of problems for the country.
“There was tension and many of our political parties out of the tension created what will now be our fate in 2023-2027 electoral process. “Nigerians are crying for good leadership and the leadership recruitment process starts with our primaries.
“You have worked hard and that is why I took us to Section 58. We are to make laws and present them to Mr President, and where he does not sign, that section 58 gives us the powers to make sure that we pass that law without Mr President’s assent.
“There’s nowhere that it is said that one arm of Government is subservient to the other. I think we are beginning with the good work you are doing Mr Speaker. I just said you are a very good man, a wonderful man with your leadership but by the time you leave this seat by June next year, Mr Speaker Nigerians will not remember the good thing that you have done.
“For me as a person or the one you have done for our colleagues, they will remember you for the laws that you passed that have been bettered for Nigerians.
“And that is why we cannot continue to act as if we are under the executive arm of Government. This Constitution gave us the powers just as it gave to them.
“We must wake up as a Parliament where we passed our law and we are sure we have done the right thing we should start overriding Mr President because this is just the beginning.
“Today NDDC Act is enforced because the parliament of which you are part of did it. What are we afraid of?
“Mr President has not committed an offence, what he has done is the rule of law and the Constitution and I believe by the time we do our own by overiding veto, we would not have committed any offence, we will be working to accommodate the constitution and the rule of law.
“Mr Speaker I implore you as a great leader to please it is time if we are sure we have done what is right to the electoral act 2022, we should rise up take our pen, collect signatures and by the grace of God override Mr President and give Nigerians the enabling electoral law that will stand the test of time,” Hon Igbakpa stressed.
Speaking earlier, the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon Toby Okechukwu called for the activation of relevant constitutional powers to address the lacuna.
He said: “Toby Okechukwu: I want to take notice regarding the very copious and auspicious comments you made yesterday regarding the Electoral Act where in circumstances, it has been weaponised; where as a matter of fact, there was an aspiration to make the law a more perfect law to remove every ambiguity; and where there isn’t any material difference between the 2010 Act and that of 2022.
“And suddenly, majority of members, where it has been weaponised, have become victims. Something is wrong in an environment, in an institution where the two leaders of the Senate would have to cross to other parties because of inherent inclement condition. Anything that occasions it, anything that warrants it, if it is our Electoral Act, if it is our politics, if it is the environment where we operate, we need to retool.
“And as you said, we got to do better work and we have to fight on. For me, it is just a battle that is lost, the war is on and we should go ahead to make sure that that law is retooled, and made clear. And if it requires this parliament to take action to override what has not been signed, we should be willing to do so.”
While expressing his view, Hon Gbajabiamila who affirmed that Mr President was in breach of the 30 days provided to communicate his decision to withhold assent, urged the lawmaker to formalise the motion.
According to him,“Thank you for your point of order basically some of what you said is that there is a need in your own opinion for the house to override the withholding of assent to the electoral amendment.
“Clearly the Constitution says it is 30 days leeway and we have gone beyond the 30 days. But the Constitution also says that it is not automatic that you override, but if you are convinced as a House that that amendment must stand.
“If you are not convinced with the argument advanced by the President or in some cases and in this case, there are no arguments advanced, then you can override.
“But for us to override I believe the required two-thirds and it cannot be by voice votes neither can it be by way of signatures unless of course you gave enough signatures by two-thirds.
“So what I will suggest is that you bring the application, the formal motion on notice perhaps tomorrow whenever you are able to do that and we will determine whether or not this House is ready to override or not, I think that’s the proper procedure,” Hon Gbajabiamila noted.
While ruling, the Speaker who acknowledged the concern raised by the two lawmakers said: “I appreciate your comments and I believe you are talking about the provision on statutory delegate which Hon Toby alluded to earlier that’s the provision you are talking about.
“So you can file your motion hopefully we will be able to listen to it tomorrow or when we have the time on our calendar.”
Meanwhile, the Speaker disclosed that the House will embark on an annual recess in July 2022.
After staying away for 75days out of 90 days suspension slammed on him by the Senate on March 12, 2024, Senator Abdul Ningi ( PDP Bauchi Central), formally resumed legislative activities at the Senate on Tuesday in plenary.
On the strength of motion sponsored by the minority leader Senator Abba Moro on behalf of minority caucus, the Senate recalled Senator Ningi from the three months suspension
Recall that Senator Ningi was suspended by the Senate at the committee of the whole on 2024 budget padding allegation leveled against the Senate during interview he had with the BBC Hausa service.
The Senate had recalled the Lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi after 2 Months and two weeks of the 3months suspension slammed on him over his interview in which he alleged padding of the 2024 N28. 7tn budget.
The lawmaker was suspended on the 12th of March, 2023 for three months, but the Senate on Tuesday unanimously resolved to recall their colleague from suspension.
Recall that, Senator Olamilekan Adeola had come under Orders 9, 10, 41, and 51 to move a motion of privilege and issue of national importance against Ningi over his interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Service).
Ningi had, in the interview alleged that the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25tn while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7tn.
The motion, for the unconditional recall of Senator Abdul Ningi was sponsored by the minority leader Senator Abba Moro, Senator Olalere Oyewumi and Senator Osita Ngwu.
Apparently elated to be back in the Senate, Senator Ningi was among the first set of Senators and House of Representatives members to arrive the National Assembly for plenary on Tuesday
Senator Ningi who along with some few other Senators like Suleiman Kawu ( NNPP Kano South), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (PDP Sokoto South) etc , came into the National Assembly through the Villa Gate, arrived exactly at 10: 40am, 20minutes to 11:00am fixed for commencement of plenary which even started at about 12:10 pm .
Following his suspension , Senator Ningi lost his Chairmanship position of the Senate Committee on National Identity and Population, which was allocated to Senator Mustapha Musa (APC Yobe East), two days after the now lifted suspension
Legislature
Minimum Wage: Senate tackles Labour over National Grid Shutdown, disruption of Hajj flight
**Resolves to use legislation to prevent reoccurrence
The Senate on Tuesday expressed displeasure at some of the excesses by some members of Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) and Trade Union Congress ( TUC) during the nationwide strike for new minimum wage on Monday.
The upper legislative chamber declared that the shut down of the National Grid and the disruption of Hajj flight by some labour unionists were more of economic sabotage than agitation for new minimum wage.
It consequently declared that such situation would not be allowed to re – occur as laws against it would be reflected in the new national minimum wage Act that would be enacted soon after submission of bill to that effect by the executive.
Senate’s grouse against the alleged excesses of labour unionists during the now suspended nationwide strike, came through a motion on the strike action and new minimum wage by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour, Senator Diket Plang (APC Plateau Central).
Senator Plang had in the motion, requested the Senate to call on the federal government to expedite action on new minimum wage as a way of stopping the industrial unrest which was however overtaken by sudden suspension of the strike by labour.
But in his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio said though it was heartwarming that the strike has been suspended but the excesses by some labour unionists need to be condemned
“One of such excesses, was the shut down of the National Grid which is more of an economic sabotage than agitation for new minimum wage.
“Disruption of Hajj flight by some other labour unionists as said by the Deputy President of the Senate, is also not palatable being a religious exercise.
“Also, disruption or prevention of students from writing their West African School Certificate Examination by some labour unionists during the strike was bad because the examination is not organized by Nigeria but West African Countries “, he said.
He added that such actions would not be allowed to be repeated as required laws against them, would be reflected in the new National Minimum Wage Bill expected from the executive very soon.
He,however commended the labour unions for calling off the strike
“I want to thank the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress for listening to the voice of Nigerians and the international community by calling off the strike to enable negotiations to continue and we wish them well in the negotiations.
“On our part, we will continue to do our best by making contributions and at the same time awaiting the incoming Bill on Minimum Wage for us to enact for the benefit of all Nigerians”, he said .
**Counters AGF, insists Bill does not need wider consultation
The Senate on Tuesday approved a Bill to change the current National anthem titled “Arise O Compatriots ” to the old national anthem “Nigeria, we Hail thee”.
Following the consideration of the report of its Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, and Federal Character, and Inter governmen Affairs on Tuesday, the Senate passed the bill entitled, “National Anthem Bill, 2024” for third reading.
The Senate passed the bill amidst stakeholders misgivings, including Lateef Fagbemi, the Auditor-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice against hasty passage and the need for a wider consultation.
The bill was read for the first and second time last week Thursday at the Senate. It also received an accelerated hearing at the lower house as it was read for the first, second and third time.
The Bill will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent. If signed into law, it will be the first time Nigeria’s national anthem will be given legal backing.
Mongu nu Tahir, the Senator representing Borno North, while presenting the report of the Committee during plenary informed that the Bill seeks to give a legal framework to the national anthem “so that it can bite and bite with all the legal powers embedded in it.”
He clarified that the Bill, despite the concerns raised by the AGF does not need to be subjected to a wider process of citizen participation through zonal public hearings, resolutions of the Federal Executive Council, Council of State, National and State Assemblies, etc.
He insisted that the Bill is an ordinary Bill, not a constitutional amendment and only requires it to be read first, second and third time after a public hearing.
Presenting the committees report, Monguno however said that the new national anthem is apt as it represents the country’s people, culture, values and aspirations.
“The bill is in tandem with the spirit of unity. It will undoubtedly inspire a zeal for patriotism and cooperation. It will promote cultural heritage. Changing the national anthem will chart a path to greater unity”, Tahir said.
He then recommended that the bill be passed. The Senate then resolved to the committee of the whole to consider the report. After which, Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President put the bill to a voice vote and lawmakers supported it.
The Senate president also noted that the AFG is not a lawmaker and does not have a full understanding of how Bill’s are passed.
The bill was consequently read for the third time and passed.
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